Backup of David's Livejournal

As a matter of rule, I don't watch the opening or closing credits for anime on DVD.  I'll watch them once to see how they look, but unless their soundtrack is composed by Yoko Kanno or something, I don't need to watch them again.  That's time that could better be spent watching the show itself.

But every once in a while, there's an exception.  I found myself sitting through the opening credits of Black Lagoon for this one frame.


It's pretty compelling.  The character is Remy, a broken sociopathic murderer.  She is often disenfranchised, stoic or bitter.  Rarely, and usually when it precedes murderous violence, she'll be happy.

That's part of the thing that gets me about the frame.  She's deceptively cute in the still, because her character isn't developed to be cute at all.  My attention always starts with her eyes, smile, and scrawl on her cheek.  But right after that, I become aware of the clues to her menace and strength:  Her two guns strapped to her shoulder harness and the tribal tattoo going down her right arm.  Only then do I realize: "Wait.  Is she reaching for a weapon?"

BTW, I'm done with Black Lagoon now, and am moving on to Flag.